Lin You shook his head and sighed, "My aunt said that we scholars don't even recognize the five grains, let alone farming. However, as officials, we can't avoid solving these problems for the people. If you don't even understand the basics, how can you guide the people who have been farming for years?"

  So I followed my aunt down to the countryside, just to broaden my horizons."

  Zheng Qi's eyes flashed with admiration, "No wonder she's a young lady from a noble family, just this one insight is already better than many people."

  Lin You stared blankly at Zheng Qi, feeling that something was off. He rarely saw such an expression on someone's face when mentioning his aunt; there were those who praised her, admired her, revered her, and even looked down on her with disdain, but none of them had the same look of admiration as Zheng Qi.

  He subconsciously changed the subject and smiled: "Is Brother Zheng coming to Suzhou for the first time? I don't know how long you'll be staying?"

  Zheng Qi smiled and said: "This is the second time I've come here. After visiting old friends, I'll decide whether to go home or continue south."

  "There's fighting going on in the south, are you going too?"

  Zheng Qi burst out laughing and said, "The Southern Han is on the verge of being destroyed, why shouldn't I go? With good luck, I might even get to see our Great Liang soldiers entering their capital!"

  Lin You looked at it with some envy, he was impossible to go to Nanhan, and even couldn't afford to study abroad.

  After his father's early death, his paternal grandfather, uncle and mother were all very anxious about him, fearing that he would go out and have an accident, and this branch of the family would be cut off.

  Lin You has been very considerate of his elders since he was a child and wanted to go out but didn't dare mention it for the sake of his family.

  So he was at peace from a young age, thinking that once he passed the imperial examination and became a scholar-official, he could go out and travel.

  He admired Zheng Qi more and more, and his ideals became even firmer. His aunt said that the imperial examination would be in two years' time, so he had to prepare even more thoroughly.

  After Wen Huai's departure, Lin You and Lu Yu slowly approached each other. Lin You admired his knowledge, while Lu Yu appreciated his purity and stability.

  As for Zheng Qi and others, because they were going to the suburbs of Suzhou to visit a few hermits, Lin You temporarily lost contact with them.

  But he didn't expect to run into Zheng Qi outside the Lin family's secondary estate. Lin You blinked, confirming it was him, and hastily rode his horse forward, "Brother Zheng?"

  Zheng Qi turned around and saw Lin You, then smiled slightly, "How did Brother Lin come here?"

  Lin You heard this and paused for a moment, then laughed and dismounted his horse, cupping his hands in greeting: "Brother Zheng has returned without even notifying me, I should have come to welcome you back and wash the dust off your feet."

  He looked towards the gate of another courtyard and smiled, asking, "Brother Zheng has come here to pay respects to my aunt?"

  "Not bad, I heard Mrs. Xie is also staying here, so I came to pay a visit."

  Lin You only then understood, he should have had dealings with the Xie family before, but he still felt that something was not quite right, so he didn't bring the person in, instead handing the horse over to a servant from another courtyard and standing at the gate talking to Zheng Qi.

  Soon, Lin Guan's housekeeper came out smiling and said: "Young Master Zheng, Mrs. Xie invites you to come in."

  Then he bowed to Lin You and asked, "Has Young Master You had lunch yet?"

  Lin You shook his head and smiled: "Let the old slave have the kitchen prepare some for you."

  Having said that, he led the two of them inside. Zheng Qi's heart was slightly surprised as she turned her head to look at Lin You, not expecting that Lin You held such a high position in the Lin family's other estate.

  Lin You didn't rush to have dinner, he first accompanied Zheng Qi to visit Mrs. Xie, and then left the two of them talking, quietly retreating.

  "What is the relationship between the Zheng family and the Xie family?"

  Lin Guanjia thought for a moment, furrowed his brow and said: "I only remember that the young master had a classmate named Zheng Yi, but I've never heard of this Zheng Qi. I asked Madame, she hasn't heard of him either. It's also possible that he's a relative from the Yang family side."

  Lin You nodded and stopped talking.

  In the flower hall, Mrs. Xie and Zheng Qi exchanged polite greetings.

  "I was not at home when Erlang left. After returning home, I learned from my mother and cousin that they were mourning, but I couldn't go to pay my respects in person. I hope the lady will forgive me."

  Mrs. Xie carelessly rotated her Buddhist beads and said: "You are all equals, he is just a child, not worth your trouble."

  She didn't want to bring up sad topics, so she changed the subject and asked, "Is Master Zheng traveling here for sightseeing this time?"

  "Yes, I came here traveling with several old friends."

  Mrs. Xie sighed slightly, and the second son had also wanted to go out and study for a while, but he was influenced by this Zheng Dalang, but at that time he was only 14 years old, how could she bear it, so she joined forces with her sister Wan to keep him back.

  I knew I should have let him go from the start, at least there would be less regret.

  Madam Yang saw the lady lost in thought and knew she was thinking of Second Young Master again, so she hastily picked up the teapot and went forward to pour tea for Zheng Qi, "Young Master Zheng, try this tea, it's an early spring tea from this year."

  Zheng Qi was shocked, "The early tea has come down so quickly?"

  Mrs. Xie came back to her senses and smiled: "It's almost spring now, what's so unusual about having an early tea?"

  Mrs. Xie and Zheng Qi are not familiar with each other, they have only met a few times, but she is more familiar with Zheng Yi.

  Zheng Qi took a sip of tea, glanced outside the door, and saw that the person he wanted to see had not yet appeared. He couldn't help but smile wryly, as he hadn't expected that even Lin's daughter wouldn't come out to greet him. He didn't dare ask to see Lin Qingyuan directly.

  After sitting for a while, he really had nothing more to talk about, so he stood up and said: "Madam, rest well, I'll take my leave first."

  Mrs. Xie immediately had someone see him off, smiling and saying: "Nowadays there are hardly any who remember the Second Master; in the future if you have time come visit me."

  "Be careful when you're out and about, if you can avoid trouble, then do so."

  Zheng Qi smiled and responded with a "yes", then bowed and bid farewell.

  Yang's wife supported Mrs. Xie to see him off, and said with a puzzled expression: "Madam, he came to see you, but I think he seems a bit distracted."

  Mrs. Xie waved her hand and said, "Whatever his reason, since he says he's here to see me, I'll take him at his word."

  Zheng Qi walked halfway out of the flower hall and stopped, smiling at the maid who was leading the way: "I don't know where your family's Yu Shao is, I have some words to say to him, can you take me there?"

  The girl smiled and said: "Then, young master, please go to the front yard first, I'll go call Young Master You."

  "No need," Zheng Qi stopped her with a smile: "He and I are friends, no need for so much trouble, just take me to where he is."

  The maid paused for a moment, "Young Master Yu is in the backyard, how can you go there, sir? Please wait in the front yard first."

  He led him to a hall in the front yard, Zheng Qi's face full of helplessness, "Why bother with such trouble, I'll go with you and wait at the second gate."

  The maid smiled and said: "How dare I let the guest stand and wait, please sit down and have a cup of tea first, I'll go call Young Master Yu right away."

  She turned around and went out to find a maid, letting her go to the backyard to find Lin You, she personally guarded Zheng Qi.

  Humph, did you think she's just a country bumpkin and can be easily fooled?

  Although she hadn't served by her grandmother's side, she was personally taught by Lin Mama. No outsider men were allowed to enter the backyard, except for those brought by Lin Guan. The number of men who could go to the backyard could be counted on two palms, and after excluding those with the surname Lin, so far there were only Shang Mingjie and Shang Mingyuan.

  Lin You had just finished lunch and was about to go to the back to take a look at the rice fields to digest his food, but upon hearing this, he turned around and went to the front yard.

  He just paid respects to his aunt and when he mentioned Zheng Qi, her expression clearly showed that she didn't recognize him.

  Lin Qingwan indeed did not know Zheng Qi, maybe Wan Jie would recognize him, but she really had never seen or heard of this person.

  Lin You smiled and sent Zheng Qi out the door, exchanging a few pleasantries before watching him leave.

  Lin Guanjia suddenly appeared behind him, and Lin You almost jumped in fright when he turned around. "Lin Guanjia, can you walk without making a sound?"

  Lin Guan's family smiled and apologized, but still defended himself for a moment, "It was Young Master You who was too focused on his thoughts."

  Lin You furrowed his brow, and Lin Guan Jia laughed and asked, "Young Master You, what's troubling you? I think you don't seem to like this Zheng Gongzi very much."

  "He is knowledgeable, talented and has a good vision, how can I not like him?"

  Lin Guanjia smiled and shook his head, but didn't say a word.

  Lin You sighed and couldn't help but say in a low voice: "I just feel that something is off, I don't think he came to visit Mrs. Xie today."

  "The intention of the drunkard is not in the wine." Lin Guanjia stroked his beard and smiled, "No matter what he's after, as long as we don't slip up, he won't get anything from the Lin family's other courtyard."

  I've seen people like him before, humph.

  Lin You nodded and followed Lin Guan Jia to the backyard to see his aunt.

  Lin Qingwan was reading a book and didn't notice the two of them until Bai Mei reminded her. She put down her book and asked, "Has the guest left?"

  "Yes," Lin Guanjia said in a low voice: "Auntie, do you want to send someone to investigate him? I always feel that he seems to be trying to pry into something in our Lin family."

  Lin Qingwan furrowed her brow and said, "I'll ask my mother-in-law when I get back. It's not good to rashly investigate someone. If he indeed has good intentions, wouldn't that be disrespecting him?"

  Lin You opened his mouth beside him, he didn't think that Lin Guan's "the drunkard's intention is not in the wine" meant this, and he instinctively felt it was wrong.

  Zheng Qi's behavior seemed familiar to him, but Lin You knocked his head and couldn't remember where he had seen it before.

  Lin Qingwen didn't mind the stranger who came to the door, and after entrusting some things to Lin You, she sent him to copy books before going to find Mrs. Xie.

  Mrs. Xie didn't know much about Zheng Qi, "I've had dealings with the Zheng family before, and they're a family of scholars too, I think he wouldn't do something so underhanded, maybe Butler Lin is just being paranoid."

  Lin Qingwan nodded.

  Mrs. Xie said: "You may not be familiar with the Zheng family, but you must know Zheng Yi, and this Zheng Qi is his cousin."

  Lin Qingwan furrowed her brow and asked, "Have I seen him before?"

  Mrs. Xie smiled: "You've met a few times, it's possible that you don't remember, every time you're with Erlang, you only like to play with Zheng Yi and a few others, outsiders can't get in, it's also possible that you forget after meeting."

  Lin Qing smiled faintly, she remembered Zheng Yi, one of the reasons was that her sister mentioned him once or twice, he and Xie Yimeng were good friends.

  The second is when Xie Yiming was buried, he also came and even comforted her a few words.

  "After the second son left, he came to our home to mourn for three days," said Mrs. Xie with a sigh. "He also attended the funeral and later often came to visit me. Now he should be in the Imperial Academy in Beijing, if the second son is there."

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